Ice-weighing tongs



Patented May 30, |899.

W. T. CARTER.

ICE WEIGHING TNGS.

(Applicationfled Sept. 28, 1898.;

(No Modei.)

Tm: nanars PETERS Co. PHoTouwo., wxsnmarou, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

IVILIIIAM T. CARTER', OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ICE-WEIGHING TONGS.

SPECIFICATION :forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,052, dated May 30, 1899.

Application filed Septembei 26, 1898. Serial No. 691,898. (No model.)

To /ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that l, WILLIAM 'l. CARTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chi cago, in the county of Cook and State of lllinols, have invented a new and useful Ice- \Veigl1iug Tongs, of which the follow-ing isa specification.

My invention relates to improvelnents in ice-weighing tongs; and the object of my invention is to furnish a device in which the ice-tongs used in the delivery of ice from house to house or otherwise may at the option of the operator be used to weigh or show the weight of the respective pieces of ice. I attain this object by the use of the mechanism shown in thcaccompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure lis an elevation showing the icetongs andscales. Fig. 2 is a broken section showing the tongs and scales and detachable handle. Fig. 3 is another view showing the tongs, scales, and detachable handle. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of Fig. 3, showing the scales extended in weighing and the attachment of the scales to the tongs and detachable handle. Fig. 5 is a modication showing another adjustment of the detachable handle.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, A represents the tongs proper, having limbs or half-tongs a and B. The half-ton gs B have a handle B', detachable, for the purpose hereinafter described, and a head C, having a iiat top and sloping lateral walls, upon which the saddle b is designed to rest.

I) is a vise operated by the thumb-screw E, having right andrleft threads e for the purpose of moving the jaws cl d equally towardeach other to clamp the saddle l) on the head C, thus adapting the tongs for handling the ice without the use of the scales.

K is the scale-frame, movably suspended from pinsY or projections Z of the head C. The said projections Zhave a further extension l', which plays vertically in channels h h in the cylinders g g, inclosing the springs II II of the scales G. Attached to the bottoni and at either side of the scale-frame K are tWo springs I-I I-I, sufficiently powerful to support the weight or" Ithe ice designed to be handled, which springs are also attached to the base ofthe handle B', as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Thus the scales G are suspended or attached attwo points-namely, at the handl'e'B and the head C-and when the tongs are operating in carrying, holding, or handling ice the weight is on the tongs only and the scales are not in use.

A dial-plate I is placed or marked on each cylinder g g, as shown in Fig. 3, or preferably opposite each other on the cylinders to allow the registration of the weightof the ice, and portions ,I .I of the scale-frame K are brought around the cylinders to act as index or registering points and register the Weight on the dials when the scales are in operation.

In operating my device the ice-tongs are used in the customary way in the handling of ice until it is desired to weigh the ice in the tongs, when the operator turns the thumbscrew I, thus opening the jaws d cl of the vise D and releasing the saddle b of the handle B,thus disconnecting the said handle from the head C. The effect of this disconnection is to throw the Weight of the ice upon the scales, which are now suspended only by the tops of the springs from the base of the handle B', as shown at m of Fig. 4. The weight of the ice extends the springs and carries downward the dial-points J .I along the dialfaces 7l, upon which they register the proper Weight of the ice. In Fig. 4 the points .I .I on the sides of the cylinders are the registering or dial points shown as carried down from their position, as shown in Fig. 3, by the weight of the ice. After Weighing, the ice may be deposited, thus relieving the tension on the springs, which thereupon return the head C and its connections to the disconnected handle B. In its return the head C is guided back into its 'place by the channels h 7i., in which ,its projections l Z are adapted to reciprocate, all as shown in Fig. 4. When the saddle b is again seated on the top of the head C, the thumb-screw E is turned and the vise D is closed upon the saddle, thus securing the handle'in place and adjusting the tongs anew for the ordinaryhandling of ice.

My scales being attached to one blade of the tongs, close to the handle, lie on both sides of IOC again with the handle, Where it may be fas- Ytened ready to operate as tongs only. The use of the double scales is valuable to secure equilibrium of the device and also to "sustain'a heavier weight Witli shorter tension Ythan single scales would do and toequickly and unerringly restore the head C to its socket 'or saddle b. When the tension is released, the twc springs attached at the bottom of the :scale-frame K contract anddrawr the head C, with its attachments and Yits projections Z W, evenly along the channeled ways h h in the :5 cylinders g g until the head :C is socketed in Vthe saddleband the springs have retired into and are covered by the cylinders g g.

In lieu of the fastening D any other fastening connecting the head C and the handle B' 3o may be used which will effect similar results. IVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of an ice-ton gs with dupleX or double weighing-scales to secure equilibrium and just poise and balance of the de vice, substantially as described and shown.

2. In an ice-tongs spring-scales for weighing ice, said scales being provided with double or duplex spring or coil, one spring being located on each side of the tongs-arms, sub- 4o stantially as described and shown.

3. In an ice-tongs, spring-scales for weighing ice provided with a plurality of coils to shorten the step or expansion of the scales, substantially as described and shown.

4. In an ice-weighing tongs the blade, a, the blade, B, the handle, B', having saddle,

b, the vise, D, to clamp the saddle and scales, G, substantially asfdescribed and shown.

5. In an ice-tongs the combination of the 5o frame or scale support and duplex scales mounted on said frame, substantially as described and shown.

6. :In an ice-weighing tongs, the combination Vof a handle optionally detachable from a grapple, a grapple constructed to reciprocate from said handle to the weighing-point between a pluralityot` spring-coils, a plurality of spring-coils, oneon each of two sides of the grapple, to secure automatic return of the 6o head to the handle'gand a frame or means of sustaining said coils in said relation and in connection mediately or immediately with the handle, substantially as described and shown.

7. In an ice-weighing tongs, the combination of a grapple having a head adapted to reciprocate between two cylinders, slotted or channeled cylinders adapted to guide the reciprocating head, and springs within the cylinders adapted to exert a pressure on or move 7o the head and grapple substantially as described and shown.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM T. CARTER.

Witnesses:

M. A. RoBERTs, FREDERICK C. HARBOUR. 

